US officials and diplomats and their families began reporting a mysterious illness a decade ago.

The US government has paid nearly $3m (£2.2m) in compensation to victims of so-called Havana Syndrome, a mysterious neurological condition reported by spies, diplomats and their families. The payments are the first to be made to US agency staff in relation to the illness, reports of which began emerging a decade ago by CIA officers working in the Cuban capital. Since then, American staff based elsewhere, including China, have reported "anomalous health incidents". Sufferers have described symptoms such as hearing a low hum, clicks, squeals and "grinding metal" while others reported intense pressure on the skull, dizziness and nausea. The US Department of Defence said it would continue to prioritise "the care of affected personnel" as it announced the compensation, paid out under the Havana Act which was signed into law in 2021. There has been widespread speculation for many years over what - and who - is responsible for Havana Syndrome. Some have claimed the illness is caused by microwaves, prompting further speculation that a foreign power may have used some kind of sonar weapon to attack US overseas staff and their dependants. "My brain is broken," former CIA analyst Erika Stith told CBS News in 2022, external.